3 tips for getting your meditation practice up and running

Are you just getting started with your meditation, or perhaps helping somebody else to get started? Here are the tips I’d give to anyone who’s just starting out:

1. Don’t think about it, just do it

It may sound obvious, but meditation only works if you actually do it. It works even better if you do it on a regular basis—and even better than that if you follow our tried-and-tested approach. When it comes to meditation, just a very small commitment can lead to very big changes. Sure, reading and talking about meditation can be inspiring, but the magic happens when you sit down and close your eyes.

2. One day at a time

Just like learning any other skill, meditation requires practice. It’s not about doing as much as possible, but rather regular, consistent practice which will allow your brain to rewire itself. So it’s worth remembering that this is a skill for life, something which will continue to develop and evolve for as long as you continue to do it. But it might feel a bit more manageable (not to mention fresh) if you take it just a day at a time.

3. Motivation is everything

A limited mind is a limited practice, so think big. When you sit to meditate remember that it is not just for you, but also for all those around you—the people you interact with every day—and even the people they then interact with (a sort of ripple effect). If you remember to do this then you’ll find it much easier to meditate. Not only that, but your meditation will have a much greater sense of meaning and importance for you.

Learn more about how to start meditating:

Andy Puddicombe is a meditation and mindfulness expert. An accomplished presenter and writer, Andy is the voice of all things Headspace.
In his early twenties, midway through a university degree in Sports Science, Andy made the unexpected decision to travel to the Himalayas to study meditation instead. It was the beginning of a ten-year journey which took him around the world, culminating with ordination as a Tibetan Buddhist monk in Northern India.
His transition back to lay life in 2004 was no less extraordinary. Training briefly at Moscow State Circus, he returned to London where he completed a degree in Circus Arts with the Conservatoire of Dance and Drama, whilst drawing up the early plans for what was later to become Headspace.